As we celebrate Black History Month, it's essential to recognize the contributions of Black professionals who have shaped the library profession. This blog series highlights library industry trailblazers and some of our own KDL staff members whose work has left an indelible mark on our community.
Edward Christopher Williams was the first professionally trained Black librarian in the United States. Born on February 11, 1871, in Cleveland, Ohio, Williams graduated with distinction from Adelbert College of Western Reserve University in 1892. He was appointed Assistant Librarian of Hatch Library at Western Reserve University (WRU) and later became the head librarian.
Williams took a sabbatical in 1898 to pursue a master's degree in librarianship at the New York State Library School, completing the two-year program in one year. He significantly developed WRU's library collection and played a crucial role in establishing the library school, where he taught courses in national bibliography.
In 1909, Williams became the principal of M Street High School in Washington, D.C., and later served as the University Librarian at Howard University. His contributions to the profession included organizing the first Negro librarian conference at Fisk University in 1930. Williams passed away on December 24, 1929, before he could complete his Ph.D. in librarianship.
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